Life's Little Moments
by Catii'aSofii'a
Summary: Sequel do "A Stark Pregnancy". Clint and Natasha now have to coordenate their two lives: spy life and parent life. Several moments in their little family. Clintasha; Pepperony & Avengers.
1. Working late

**Here it is. One of the sequels for "A Stark Pregnancy"! This sequel is only Clintasha plus baby Alexandra. Visit my profile for the link to Pepperony and the twins' sequel "Billionaires & Babies". Both stories will have the same timeline. **

* * *

**1 – (Five Months Old) Working late**

It was late and it wasn't Clint intention to be out so long, but the meeting took longer than expected and then Fury didn't want the Avengers to leave without making sure everyone knew what they were dealing with. It was another wannabe super villain that had some kind of vendetta against the world. Seriously, if every angry human being turned into a crazy villain, they were going to have some serious trouble! He wasn't the only one upset. Tony was _this_ close to pulling out the suit and flying through the roof of the base, saying he had better things to do with his time – like play with his six month's old twins. Clint only wanted to get home, see his baby girl and cuddle with his wife.

Wife…

It seemed surreal. After Natasha accepted his _official_ proposal, they decided they didn't want to make a big thing out of it. Three months after Alexis' birth, they were getting married at the courthouse with only their friends. Tony insisted to throw the party at the Stark Tower – since he was kind of upset he didn't have a chance to throw a bachelor party (he swore Steve would have a kick ass one and Clint would regret his decision, Steve only wondered why was Tony planning his bachelor party when he was still free as a bird) – and the new Mrs. Barton didn't threw a fit, she said it would be nice to have everyone together without being because of a worldwide crisis.

Natasha was beautiful that day – not that she wasn't every other day, but it was different – her dress was a simple white lace dress that went by her knees (she had worked a lot to get her figure), her hair done in stunning red curls that cascaded down her shoulders and a beautiful bouquet of red roses (Maria may or may have not caught the bouquet that led to Tony's commentary about Steve's future bachelor party; everyone knew those two were just a matter of time before they happened).

Clint parked the car in the garage. He entered the house, quietly closing the door behind him and setting the alarm. Going upstairs, two stairs at the time, he saw that the only light was coming from the master bedroom. He knew Natasha was there with Alexis. When he took longer to get home – like today – or simply was out in a mission, Alexis would sleep with Natasha in their bed. He walked into the bedroom, stealthy as always, but he knew Natasha already saw him. Still, she didn't look up from the baby. They were playing some kind of game, in which Natasha had her legs spread out in a V, Alexis in the middle, face to face with her Mom with a pillow supporting her back, and were doing back and forth movements while Natasha sung a nursery rhyme. He remembered reading about this kind of game in the baby book. It was supposed to help baby Alexis to develop the muscles of the neck and back so she could sit up on her own.

"Honey, I'm home," he teased with a soft voice so he wouldn't startle Alexis.

"Daddy's home," Natasha said to Alexis, who already had her bright green gaze fixed on her Dad. "Hi," she smiled warmly at Clint while Alexis smiled too and bounced.

Clint grinned and approached the bed, sitting beside Natasha kissing her temple. His attention went immediately to the baby in her arms. "Come on, Alexis, Daddy missed you," he said and the baby bounced more, making Natasha laugh as she handed Alexis to her father.

Alexis gurgled happily setting her little head in her Dad's chest. Clint leaned back in the headboard rubbing her back.

"Long meeting?" Natasha guessed brushing a hand over her daughter's strawberry blonde curls.

Clint snorted. "You can say that again," he whispered kissing Alexis' little head and inhaling that intoxicating baby smell that he learned to love so much. "Five more minutes and I was ready to pull out my bow. I don't know if that would be before or after Tony's suit came out to play…he was very annoyed that he wasn't at the Tower playing with the twins," he said.

"I miss work," she sighed, resting her head against her shoulder. "Daddy's little girl," she playfully accused, watching her daughter fall into a peaceful slumber in her father's arms, while she had spent the last two hours trying to get her to sleep.

"You'll be back soon enough," Clint replied and then laughed. "Let's not pretend she isn't, because we all know she is Daddy's little girl. Sleep comes faster in my arms," he teased.

"True," Natasha shrugged. "But don't get me wrong, I love being home with Alexis and watching her grow every day is a blessing, but I miss the action. I miss the kick ass part of me."

"It's perfectly normal, Nat," Clint whispered.

"I talked to Pepper today, she's going back to her job in a few days and she's terrified of leaving the twins," Natasha frowned. "I won't be happy about leaving Alexis with total strangers."

"We've talked about this. The day care will have some SHIELD agents undercover to assure Alexis' safety. Fury guarantees us that. Is Stark willing to let his kids go to the day care or is he still against?" Clint asked with a hint of a smile.

"It seems like those two don't agree on that. Pepper wants the twins on the day care so they start to develop social abilities early on. Tony says it's dangerous and unnecessary," Natasha sighed. "Honestly, I agree with Pepper and that day care in Malibu that she wants, it's really good and she said Fury was going to lend some agents to that day care too."

"She'll turn him around, she always does! And I think Fury just doesn't want the SHIELD base to _look_ like a day care, that's why he's so willing to lend agents for the babies protection," Clint grinned. "Now, let me put her down in her crib," he whispered kissing Natasha's head.

Natasha nodded, and stepped away from Clint. Carefully, he got up, cradling the baby in his arms, and left the room. Natasha smiled. He was such a good Dad. Alexis loved him, her eyes light up every time he walked into the room. She would recognize his voice anywhere and when in her Daddy arms, she wouldn't go to anyone else.

These were the life little moments that Natasha (or even Clint) ever thought they could have. _Normal_ life little moments!

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**How's that for a first chapter?**


	2. Crawling gets you places

**2 – (Seven Months Old) Crawling Gets You Places**

Clint eyes' widened in shock as he stared at the now empty couch in front of him. Where…? How…? When…? "_Clint, are you listening to me?_" Natasha angry voice snapped him out of his thoughts. Right, he was talking to Nat on the phone.

"Yes, sorry, I got distracted with Alexis," he said looking around warily.

"_And how is she?_" his wife asked more tenderly.

_**Nowhere to be found!**_ "Good, we're having fun_,_" he lied smoothly getting down on all fours and peaking underneath the couch and coffee table.

Natasha sighed. "_I don't like being away from her this long,_" she said. Natasha had been called for a mission overseas with Maria and Coulson, and since Fury told her it wouldn't take longer than twenty four hours to complete the job, she accepted. Somehow, things got complicated and this was day two in Madrid. "_I'm going back!_" she decided.

"No," Clint yelped, startled with the idea of Natasha arriving and telling her he lost their baby. "I mean, Nat, we're fine, really. I love to have this time to bond with my little girl, you know, since you always have to have her with you and no one else," he teased.

"_Hmm,_" he could feel her suspicion and swallowed. "_Are you sure you're ok? You sound weird!_"

"I'm just peachy, Nat," he replied looking behind the wet bar. "Look, I can't talk to you while…" _**searching for our kid**_ "…entertaining Alexis, she gets demanding. I'll call you later. Love you," he hung up, sure that he was going to pay for it later, and threw the phone on the couch where his daughter should have been.

"Alexis, baby, where are you?" he called in a hopeless attempt, hoping his daughter would give him some signal of her current location.

Dropping his head to his hands, Clint cursed his and Natasha's sneakiness that their daughter seemed to have inherited.

Five minutes before Natasha called, he had been changing her diaper in the couch. Then, he turns away for _one minute_ and she disappears. _**Oh God!**_He thinks horrified. _**She fell off the couch, she might be hurt. **_

He wandered to the kitchen opening and closing the lower cupboards. He checked the bathroom, nothing. The doors to the backyard were closed and the pool was covered, so she wasn't there either.

"Alexis," he practically whined. "Daddy doesn't like to play hide and seek! That's Mommy," he huffed.

His phone rang in the living room and he considered leaving it, before thinking otherwise. It was Natasha again. Trying to muster as much confidence as he could, he picked it up. "Nat…"

"_You lost her, didn't you?_" she guessed.

Clint froze. He turned his eyes to the ceiling and around, trying to spot any security camera. "What are you talking about?" he muttered.

To his surprise, she laughed. "_Oh, Clint,_" she said between laughs. "_I knew that was going to happen,_" she said. Clint rolled his eyes annoyed.

"Yes, I lost our daughter, are you happy now? She was on the couch and then she wasn't. I turn away from one minute…" he trails off. _**And I call myself a spy! My own daughter slips through my fingers, two meters away from me**_**.**

"_Don't worry, Clint, she's starting to pull those acts on me too, I can't turn away that she crawls faster than one of your arrows cuts through air,_" Natasha chuckled. "_I almost had a heart attack the first time, but by the third time, you got used to it,_" she said.

"You never told me that," he narrowed his eyes.

"_Well, I didn't want to tell you that I lost our daughter any more than you wanted to tell me,_" she scowled.

"Fair point," he pointed out. "Any ideas where I can find our little spy?"

"_Check the office,_" Clint nodded, he hadn't looked there yet. "_Under the desk,_" she said.

He entered the office and going behind the desk he crouched down. Sure enough, Little Miss Alexandra was there. Butt in the air; face in her little hands with her locks – that were getting more blonde by the month – all around her sleeping face. Clint chuckled. "Found her," he whispered.

"_We might want to consider a little bell to put around her neck,_" Natasha said amused. "_Now, I have to go. I love you, give Alexis a kiss for me,_" she asked.

"Will do! I love you too and please be safe," he said before hanging up.

Alexis's eyes fluttered open and Clint found himself looking at familiar green eyes. "That can't be comfortable, sweetheart," he chuckled with a smile. Alexis's grin warmed his heart and she crawled into his lap, playing with one of his leather bracelets. "Don't scare me like that again," he rolled his eyes kissing her hair.

"Dada," she said patting his cheek.

His grin was huge. It was a little after five months that she had uttered her first word. It had been "dada" and before Natasha could get upset or sad, she followed the next day by "mama". Those words warmed their hearts in a way nothing ever could.

Kissing her nose, making her giggle, he got up from the floor. "How about we read a book? Uncle Phil's Robin Hood book, that he gave you, might come in handy right?" he said kissing her temple while Alex clapped happily. "Because I think you're a bit young for Hunger Games," he sighed, thinking about Tony's little gift for Alex. _What? I think Katniss could remind her of you!_ He had said. The book was still bent from where it had hit Tony's head.

**Second chapter is done now. Reviews?**


	3. Supernanny Coulson

**3 – (Three Years (and a half) Old) Supernanny Coulson**

"Uncle Phil!" Three years old Alexis ran downstairs as soon as she heard Phil greet her Mom at the foyer. "Uncle Phil! Uncle Phil!" she called happily, throwing herself in his waiting arms.

Natasha scowled. "Young lady, how many times did I tell not to run in the stairs?" she asked her daughter.

Alexis gave her a sheepish grin – definitely inherited from her father side. "A lot?" the little girl tried.

"You can fall down and hurt yourself, sweetheart, there's no need to worry your parents," Phil said, brushing a strand of dark blonde hair from the little girl's face.

"Sorry, Mommy, I won't do it 'gain," Alexis smiled at her Mother.

"She told me that, ten minutes ago," Natasha rolled her eyes affectionately. "Are you going to be a good girl to Uncle Phil?"

Alexis nodded, resting her little head on Phil's shoulder.

"Don't worry, Nat, I've got this covered," Phil grinned. "We'll go to the park, to the zoo, get some ice cream and then watch some Disney movies. How does that sound, little spy?" he asked Alexis who looked like Christmas had come earlier.

"Yes, yes, yes!" she shrieked hugging Phil's neck.

"You spoil her too much," Natasha laughed.

"What are godfathers' for?" Phil replied.

"Nat, I got our things," Clint informed, coming downstairs with two individual bags. "We're ready to go!" he said. "Thank you for taking care of Alexis for the weekend, Coulson," he turned to his handler, one of his best friends and his daughter's godfather. There was no other man on earth he would trust his little girl with.

"Don't mention it, I love my little spy and don't mind at all taking care of her," Phil smiled. "Besides, you guys are in a great need of a romantic getaway that isn't a remote operation," he pointed out.

"Ok, sweetheart, time to give Mommy and Daddy a kiss goodbye," Natasha said extending her arms to Alexis.

Alexis went to her Mother's lap, cradling Natasha's face in her little hands and kissing her cheeks. "Miss you," she sighed.

"I'll miss you more, _moy dorogoy_," Natasha sighed, kissing Alexis' temple, whispering the last words.

"Don't torture your Uncle too much, princess," Clint said poking his daughter's nose.

Alexis shook her head and Clint kissed her chubby cheek before ruffling her curls. "Natasha, you need to give her back to Coulson now," he grimaced, watching the iron grip his wife had on the little girl.

"Yeah, of course," she said but didn't bulged when Alexis tried to squirm out of her hold.

"Nat," Clint said in a warning tone. "We are going to miss our flight!"

"It's Stark's private jet, it leaves when we arrive," Natasha barked. "I feel like I'm abandoning her," she mumbled.

"Mommy!" Alexis complained. "Too tight!" she whined.

"Nat, it's like we're leaving for an op," Clint reasoned.

"When we're leaving for an op I know I'm out kicking some bad guys ass', but this feels…wrong, leaving her behind!" she muttered.

"Daddy," Alexis turned to her father pouting.

"Natasha, give her to Coulson," Clint ordered crossing his arms.

Phil was watching the exchanged amused. Natasha's glare was so intense that could make anyone sweat, but not Clint, he stood his ground, raising his eyebrows. Sure, Phil knew Clint was terrified inside, but if you are married to Natasha, are her partner and the father of her child, you needed to have balls to face her.

"Fine," Natasha grumbled and kissed Alexis forehead, handing her to Coulson. "Call us if anything, anything, happens. At any hour, any moment…" her speech was interrupted when Clint nudged her out of the door.

"Behave, Alexis, obey to your Uncle, please," Clint smiled, before closing the door behind him. "Shall we, Nat?"

"Did you just pushed me out of the door? Aren't you a bit hesitant about leaving Alexis?" Natasha growled while they made their way to the car.

"No and not so much. Nat, Coulson will take excellent care of her, no need to be so scared or nervous, she'll be fine. We go on missions together since she was nine months old, and we are out way more than a weekend," Clint pointed out.

Natasha chewed on her bottom lip. "Exactly," she whispered. "We are already out too much!"

"Nat, I understand, I really understand. By tomorrow night, you might be the one holding me back, stopping me from coming home. We'll miss her terribly, she's our baby, but right now, _right now_, I miss us so much more," he confessed. "We need this, ok? We'll be back in sixty seven hours!"

"I'm being irrational, aren't I?"

"You're being a Mother," Clint smiled warmly, before pecking her on the lips and opening the door for her.

* * *

"Are Saree and Ian going?" Alexis asked from the backseat of the car.

"They sure are. I talked to Happy and apparently he has to take care of them today, so we are all going to the zoo!" Phil grinned.

Alexis squealed, bouncing in her seat and waving her favorite plush toy (a brown puppy dog that she called Hawk – due to Natasha's suggestion under Clint's accusatory glance _"It's a puppy dog, not a bird!"_).

"Ice cream?" she asked.

"Yes," Phil nodded.

Smiling at the little girl through the rearview mirror, Phil sighed happily, remembering the talk he had with Fury the night before and wondering how wrong his boss was.

"_Boss, she's a sweet baby girl," Phil pointed out amused._

"_Coulson, don't fool yourself. She is all kinds of adorable because she is three, but let's not forget the blood that runs through her veins," Fury snorted. "Three year olds are hard to handle, trust me, I had three year olds before. They're very stubborn and curious. They also tend to get messy and in trouble, a lot," he pointed out reminded that he had children that went through the horrible two to three year old phase. "Since this is the Widow and Hawkeye's kid, I can only assume the worst," he smirked._

"_She never misbehaved with me before," Phil shrugged._

"_Oh, well, call me in 24 hours!"_

Phil shook his head, parking his car near the park. "Ready, little spy?" he asked.

"Sure am, Uncle Phil," she grinned excited.

Assume the worst…Phil snorted. His boss was a little paranoid.

**First thing that went wrong:**

They had bought ice cream, and Alexis was happily walking next to her Uncle, chatting endlessly, amusing him, when she came to a halt. "Puppy," she squealed.

Phil didn't have the time to react. Alexis took off in a run, chasing after the golden retriever she had spotted. Her ice cream fell in the process and Phil just stood there for several seconds, before he snapped out of it, and ran after the three year old, who he had to say, was a lot faster than he thought.

"Puppy, come here," she called.

"Alexis, get back here," Phil asked, running behind her.

They had a runner!

Those two had a runner and forgot to mention it.

"Slow down, Alexis," her Uncle asked. It shouldn't be this hard to catch a three year old. He was an S.H.I.E.L.D agent for crying out loud.

But the little thing was the daughter of the two most athletic and well trained people in the world.

"Puppy!" Alexis called.

"Alexis!" Phil yelled after her.

**Second thing that went wrong**

Alexis looked down, embarrassed. She was sitting in the hood of her Uncle's car, while he put a colorful Band-Aid in her knee. Chasing the golden puppy was a lot harder than she thought. In her run, she tripped over a rock and fell down. Her knee got scrapped, but she didn't cry.

"You can't run like that from me Alexis," Phil said sternly.

"Sorry, Uncle Phil," she mumbled touching the Band-Aid.

"What were you thinking?"

"That it was a pretty puppy," Alexis shrugged, pursing her lips. "It looked like Hawk."

Phil smiled gently, lifting the girl up from the hood, and into his arms. "It really did, but now, we'll be late for the zoo!"

"Saree and Ian are there already?"

"Probably," Phil nodded, while strapping her in the booster seat. "One more thing, you can't run from me like that in the zoo. Promise!"

"I promise," she nodded and he closed the backseat door.

Alexis never told him she had her fingers crossed, so the promise didn't count…

**Third thing that went wrong**

"They have too much energy," Happy grunted as he and Phil ran after the three children.

"Why do they run?" Phil bemoaned.

"To torture us," Happy snorted as they took a turn and entered the lion zone. "Where did they go?"

They stopped and looked all the ways before Phil saw a familiar blonde curly head. "There!"

Running again, they were constantly saying "Sorry" and "Excuse me" or even "Get out of my way", to the other visitors.

"Troublemakers," Happy huffed. "Why did I ever agree to take care of those two? They can turn into Tony Stark's just like that," he snapped his fingers, stopping to catch his breath.

"Oh God, we lost them," Phil groaned.

Instead of running, they walked around, trying to locate them.

"Oh my God, there's a child inside the cage," a woman shrieked.

Happy and Phil's heads whipped around. Sure enough, Miss Barton was standing inside the lion's cage, with a happy and content smile. Phil paled and jogged to the cage.

"Alexis," he hissed, trying not to disturb the lioness that was watching the child with interest. _At least she didn't eat her yet_, Phil gulped.

"Look, Uncle Phil, big kitty," Alexis said with the biggest grin she had – did she even know where she was?

"Sweetheart, how did you got there?" Phil groaned as people gathered around to watch what was going around. "Can someone call the lion's trainer and the manager please?" he yelled at the assistants that looked scared to death. "Happy," he turned to the Stark's driver. "Go find your kids!"

"Good luck, Phil," Happy muttered.

"Alexis, come on, you have to leave," Phil pleaded.

"I can't," the little girl frowned. "The hole is not big enough," she pointed at the faraway corner. Sure enough, a hole was there, underneath the fence. Phil, your usually calm guy, growled. That zoo was getting _so_ sued. "I tried but I tore my dress," she pointed at the big gash in her dress.

"Ok, but whatever you do," Phil swallowed watching the lioness sit up and watch Alexis. "Don't get close to the lions, ok?"

"But I want to pet them," she tilted her head.

A chorus of 'no' was heard, making the little girl jump back scared. The lioness growled at the people who shuffled back scared. Phil stood near the fence when the lion's trainer showed up. "How did this happen?" he asked baffled.

"Your fence has a fucking hole," Phil bellowed. "And now my niece is in there, next to a very dangerous creature."

"Sir, please calm down," the manager said.

"Calm down? You just wait until I sue this zoo," Phil snorted. "Alexis, no!" he screamed.

Alexis didn't pay attention. "Hi kitty," she cooed at the huge lioness extending her hand.

"Oh God, I can't watch," Phil moaned closing his eyes.

Suddenly, Alexis giggled and he opened one eye. His jaw dropped; the lioness was letting Alexis rub her ears, actually purring.

"Well, I'll be damned," the manager muttered.

Meanwhile, the trainer had walked into the cage, and was carefully approaching. "Hi, Alexis, I'm David," he kneeled next to the little girl, careful not to disturb the lioness, lying next to Alexis, very happy to be petted by the three year old. "This is Kara, our lioness and she seems to like you," David smiled.

"Why everyone was scared?" Alexis frowned rubbing the lioness' belly. "She's sweet," she giggled.

Kara yawned, still purring.

"Sometimes, lions are dangerous and they can hurt you," David explained. "But now you have to come with me, your Uncle is worried," he pointed at Phil.

"Sorry, Uncle Phil," she whispered.

"It's ok, Alexis, just come with David, please," Phil begged – Natasha was going to maim him when she found out.

"Can I take Kara with me?" she asked David.

"No, sweetie, Kara has to stay here, but you can visit," he told her.

"Ok," she nodded sadly. "Bye Kara," she kissed the lioness' head and David picked her up gently.

"Kara, stay," he ordered the lioness who watched them go without getting up.

"You," Phil said whirling around to face the manager who jumped back. "Cover that hole. Now! This could had gone a totally different way, and I assure you, no one was going to make it out alive when her Mother found out," he said in a low threating voice.

"Yes…yes, sir, right away, sir," the manager mumbled.

David showed up with Alexis who grinned and launched herself into her Uncle's arms.

"Thank God, you're alright," he breathed. "But we need to talk about you running from me. It's dangerous," he said sternly. "Now, we're going back home."

Alexis nodded dropping her eyes. "Sorry, Uncle Phil," she sighed, feeling like it was the millionth time today that she said it. "Bye, Kara!"

When Phil turned, he saw the lioness with her paws in the fence and whining, while chewing on the metal. He smiled. "We'll come and visit her again, alright?" he turned to the little girl. Alexis nodded waving at Kara.

"I'll even take you inside," David said and Phil glared at him. "Kara liked her, she's not going to hurt her and I'll be there, so it will be safe," he explained taking a step back.

"We'll talk about that later," Phil said dryly. "Now, let's go find Sarah and Ian," he sighed.

"Penguins," Alexis told him. "They wanted to see the penguins."

"Good," he kissed her cheek. "You two," he turned to the trainer and manager. "Make sure it doesn't happen again."

They both nodded and Phil walked the other way, to the penguin's zone.

"I'm being a bad girl today, aren't I?" Alexis asked, hiding her face in Phil's neck.

Phil sighed. "Well, little spy, you just can't run off like that. Bad things can happen to you," he started. "What would I say to Mommy and Daddy if you got lost or worse? You are not a bad girl, you are a little girl with too much energy," he chuckled and silently cursed Fury's wisdom.

"You still love me, right?"

"Of course, you're my little spy," he smiled and kissed her curls.

"Do we have to tell Mommy and Daddy?"

"Nope, this can stay between us," Phil shook his head, paled with the idea of a confrontation with the Black Widow and the Hawkeye.

"Great," she squealed, hurting his ears. "Saree, Ian!"

Phil looked at the direction Alexis was waving and saw the Stark twins near the penguins lair. They were glued to the glass fence. "Hey guys," he said approaching them.

"Happy is in trouble," they said at the same time, and looked up at Phil at the same time. Twins sometimes could be creepy like that.

"Wha-"

"PHIL! HELP!"

Phil's head whirled around to the penguin's pool. "Oh my God," he said in shock.

Happy was inside the freezing water and the penguins didn't like that such a big man invaded their habitat. Happy had penguins biting his ears and Phil didn't even want to imagine what they were doing under water.

"How did you feel?" Phil asked dumbfounded.

"JUST HELP ME!"

Phil sighed. "Come on kids, let's go get the manager…again…and a doctor."

"Uncle Phil, can we get a penguin stuffed toy?" Sarah asked tugging at Phil's pant leg.

Phil snorted, he was sure Happy would not be able to tolerate penguins anymore.

"Of course we can, honey," he said.

"Can we buy a lion plush toy too?" Alexis said shyly. "I'll call her Kara," she shrugged.

"I want a shark plush toy," Sebastian said jumping up and down.

"HELP ME!"

"We can get all of that…after we get Happy out of there," Phil said, trying to hold in his laughter.

* * *

Later that night, Alexis had fallen asleep watching the Lion King 2. It took her awhile to sleep, mainly because it was the first time watching the Lion King movies, and she had an emotional breakdown in the first movie, after the lion fell to his death and his son found him.

Phil picked up the little girl, and climbed the stairs to her bedroom. He tucked her in with Hawk in one side and Kara, her new favorite plush toy, in the other. Kissing her forehead, he left the room, leaving the door a little ajar.

Walking back downstairs, he started to organize things. How Natasha and Clint raised the little ball of energy, kept everything in order and still did their jobs flawlessly he didn't even know. Phil was exhausted. His phone rang and he groaned when he check the caller ID.

"Boss, can you please refrain yourself of telling me 'I told you so'?"

Fury would never admit it, but he cared about the Avengers brood. He most likely knew what had happened in the zoo.

"_…I told you so!_"

"I quit!" Phil huffed.

"_I'll see you Monday, Agent Coulson…that is, if Alexandra hasn't got you killed until then!_"

Phil hung up and threw is phone to the couch. Sometimes, he really despised his boss.


	4. Uncle Nick

**4 – (Six Years Old) Uncle Nick**

Alexis was half-asleep and Clint didn't want to wake the little girl up, but when he gets a call at four thirty in the morning saying that his wife mission went very wrong and that she was in the infirmary back at SHIELD, he couldn't just stay home and there was no one available at almost five in the morning to stay with Alexis. So, gently, he picked the little girl up, still in her pajamas and placed her in the booster seat of his car. Alexis whimpered, pouted and complained for a little while, before drifting to sleep again in the car, grasping Hawk in her little hands.

At the base, Director greeted him at the entrance. Clint shifted with Alexis asleep in his arms. "How bad?" he asked quietly.

"I believe there's more emotional trauma involved, Agent Barton," Fury spoke calmly. "The physical injuries were nothing that Agent Romanoff hasn't suffered in the past, however, there were some discoveries that might have affected your wife in a personal level and that was the main reason I had Coulson call you. Your wife needs you," the Director said.

When Fury used the term "wife" and not "partner" it couldn't be good. Clint sighed and was going to make his way to the infirmary when Fury stepped in his front. "If I were you, I wouldn't take Alexandra inside," he advised.

"I have no one to keep an eye on her," Clint muttered.

"Give me the girl, Barton," Fury requested.

Clint's jaw dropped. "You'll…take care of her?"

Fury rolled his eyes. "I have children of my own, Agent Barton, I'm capable of watching a six year-old, even if it's yours and Romanoff's spawn," he rolled his eyes. "Besides, Coulson will be free from duty in a couple of hours, he will get her later. Just give me the girl and go to your wife."

Still a bit surprised, Clint passed Alexis to Fury's arms. The little girl was jolted awake and let out a cry for her father.

"It's ok, sweetheart, Uncle Nick has you, you'll be fine," Clint smiled gently at his daughter, rubbing her cheek with affection. "Daddy needs to see Mommy," he explained.

"Mommy's hurt?" she frowned.

"Not much, darling, she just needs Daddy," Clint rested her.

"Barton, go," Fury ordered. "Alexandra will be alright."

With one last look at his daughter, Clint turned his back and walked away. Alexis frowned at Fury. Of course she had met him before. He was her parents' boss, she just didn't like him much because he was always sending her parents away and they always ended up wounded. That was why she was not a big fan of Uncle Nick.

"Where's Uncle Phil?" she asked rubbing the sleep from her eyes.

"He's working, but you don't mind staying with me, do you?" Fury asked, while walking towards his office.

"You're always busy," she crossed her arms. "And you're mean sometimes," Alexis said.

"I'm mean?" Fury exclaimed, his lips twitching.

Alexis bobbed her head up and down, blonde curls framing her heart shaped face. "You send Mommy and Daddy away. They get hurt," she explained.

"Oh, I see," Fury nodded.

He entered his office, closing the door behind him. He sat Alexis down on the black leather couch. Fury sat next to her. Alexis was holding her plush toy close to her chest, and it had seen better days. Fury doesn't remember one time where he hadn't see Alexis without it. "What's his name?" he pointed at toy. All of his three children had named each and every plush toy they had, so he guesses all children were the same.

"Hawk," Alexis said playing with its ears.

"Interesting," Fury muttered with an amused smile

"Is Mommy going to be alright?" she asked.

Fury looked at the young green eyes. They were just like Natasha's but yet, so different. While Natasha has seen and tasted hell, her soul had been twisted and her ledger was dripping with blood, Alexis green eyes were innocent and childlike. She was a very bright child, with an even brighter future ahead of her, and Fury knew he would never see Natasha's cold green eyes on her daughter. "She's going to be fine," he replied to the little girl's question. "Mommy has you and your father; she'll be alright in no time."

"Promise?" she sounded suspicious, Fury realized that the little girl didn't trust him much.

"I do, now, you can sleep in here until Daddy comes to get you, how does that feel?" Fury asked.

"You don't mind?" Alexis questioned after a yawn broke free.

"Not at all, no one will disturb you here and I'll be there at my desk if you wake up, ok?"

"Ok," she muttered sleepily, taking one of the couch's pillows under her head. "Thanks, Uncle Nick," Alexis mumbled before shutting her eyes.

Fury gave a tiny smile before picking up the blanket he usually had in there, and covering the daughter of his best agents. "Sweet dreams, Alexis."


	5. It's Enough

**5 – (Six years old) It's enough**

She had a heavy weight on her heart. A weight only partially lifted when she held her daughter. Natasha looked down at the messy blonde curls sleeping in her chest and sighed, hugging Alexis closer to her body. Natasha never thought it could hurt this bad. She had seen death, she had been near death, and she herself had more than one close calls. Yet, the awful feeling of loss was within her, and she couldn't shake it off. It was impossible, even for her, Natasha Romanoff, spy and master assassin.

Losing something that you never knew you had, shouldn't be this hurtful. Yet, it hurt.

Natasha snorted quietly at the term "lose", like it was her car keys or something irrelevant.

What she lost wasn't irrelevant. It was a human life. An innocent human life, growing inside of her.

_Her body ached all over. She tried to remember what happened. The target was eliminated, but the bastard activated a silent alarm. When Natasha got to the roof for the extraction, she had a bunch of armed men waiting for her. Not without getting hurt, she fought all of them, until one decided that it would be a fun experience to throw her of the roof. She blacked out after that._

"_Natasha, can you hear me?" Bruce's voice sounded fairly close._

"_I need drugs," she sighed. _

"_I'll give you more in a minute," she saw his grimace. "First I need to talk to you about something," he sighed, sitting on the bench near her bed. _

"_Bruce, please," she pleaded. "Can't this wait?"_

"_No, Natasha, I'm afraid it can't," he shook his head with a sad and worried look. _

"_What's wrong? Bruce, I had far worse than this," Natasha told him. _

_Bruce swallowed, opening and closing his mouth several times._

"_If you're trying to tell me that you now shift into a goldfish, you're doing an awesome job," she grumbled. _

"_Natasha, did you know you were pregnant?" he breathed very quietly, and if he hadn't been so close, she wouldn't have heard him._

"_What? No, of course I didn't," Natasha shook her head. "I wouldn't accept a mission if I was, Bruce."_

"_I know that," he reassured her. "But unfortunately, you were."_

_She tried to grasp what Bruce was trying to say, when it finally clicked 'you __**were**__ pregnant' not 'you __**are**__ pregnant'. "Spit it out, Bruce," her eyes turned cold and she fisted the sheets._

"_I'm sorry, Natasha. You were three months along, but with the fall, you lost the baby…"_

Natasha only realized that she was crying when she felt small hands on her face. "Mommy, are you sad?" Alexis' sleepy voice snapped her out of her memories.

"What?" she quickly dried her tears. "Maybe a little," Natasha confessed; she wasn't one of lying to her daughter. "But I'll be ok."

Alexis frowned, and it was the most adorable thing ever. It reminded Natasha of Clint when he frowned with worry. "Was it because you got hurt?" her little girl asked.

"Yes, love, it is," Natasha nodded. "But Mommy has you now, and it's all that matters to me," she cradled Alexis' face in her hands and kissed each cheek. "Ты весь мой мир, любимая, и ты здесь. Вот и все, что имеет значение..."

"Я люблю тебя, мама," Alexis chirped back in perfect Russian.

"Good, now get back to sleep, young lady," Natasha managed a smile.

Alexis cuddled into her mother and gave a little sigh, before closing her eyes again. Natasha rubbed her back tenderly, knowing that it soothed her. They were both lying on the suite's bed. Mother and daughter had a Disney marathon.

"We have her," Natasha spoke, Clint's presence not a surprise, she had noticed him arrive. "It's enough," she whispered.

Clint approached the bed and lay down next to the two women of his life. He smiled sadly at Natasha. "I know," he nodded. "We'll be ok, Nat," he assured her, lacing his fingers with hers.

"I believe you," she said and kissed her daughter's curls.

* * *

**Sorry for the short chapter. Warning, the drama is not over for the little Barton family.**

**I think it's pretty clear what happened to Natasha. People sometimes portray her with such coldness. Natasha is not the Ice Queen, she's just reserved but still has feelings. When I read something where she is a total robot, I give up.**

**One more thing, tell me if I'm getting anyone wrong, please. Also, if you feel like the kids are missing traits or something it's not right with them, just PM me, please. **


	6. Not My Daughter

**6 – (Six years (and a half) old) Not My Daughter**

The slap was heard in the deserted hallways. Natasha's face ached but she bit back the pain, she was a spy and torture was not new to her. A few slaps and punches were not exactly torture, thus making Natasha wonder what the psycho that had taken her was waiting for. He had a female boss, and Natasha had an uneasy feeling about her, like she already knew her from her past.

"You are trying to figure me out, aren't you?" The bitch gave Natasha a wicked smile. "I'm wounded that you don't remember me," she faked a hurt voice. "After all we've been through…" she trailed off with a sigh.

Natasha blinked before realization dawned on her. "The Red Room," she whispered.

"Bingo," the woman cheered with fake enthusiasm. "I was the one you left behind, but no hard feelings, after all, they do teach us to survive first and rescue later, or not," she shrugged pulling a chair so she could sit in front of Natasha. "You are the Red Room biggest thorn, Miss Romanov; they would like me to take care of that."

"Elena," Natasha remembered her name.

"Good, you remember," Elena nodded crossing her legs.

"The Red Room sent you to kill me?" Natasha tilted her head to the side. "This is personal then," she smirked.

"They asked me if I could do them this little favor and I didn't say no," Elena shrugged looking at her perfect nails. "Besides, it's a whole package with you. I get to kill you, get a brand new recruit and weakened the Avengers," she gave Natasha a maniac smile. "I know everything about you, Natasha!"

"What do you mean?" Natasha growled fighting with her chains, not ropes, chains.

"I mean that without you or your pretty little hawk around – by the way I give you my condolences for his death in advance – I get to have a pretty young recruit to hand over to the Red Room," Natasha froze completely. "Your daughter must have an incredible skill set just waiting to be explored. I know the Red Room will enjoy that."

"You will not touch a hair in my daughter's head, you get me, Elena? I will personally see to your painful death," Natasha said in a low threating voice.

"Not if I kill you first," Elena spat.

The door was opened and one of Elena's man walked in. "It's done. Hawkeye is dead and we have the girl," he said.

Elena cackled. "Wonderful, wonderful, make sure she's nicely set in, we have a huge trip in front of us," she said in a loud voice.

Natasha's head dropped. _No, no, no, no, _was the echo running through her mind, but she had to be objective. She had to think it through. One, no one could easily kill Clint; he was the most stubborn man on the planet. The thing that worried her the most was the fact that they got their hands on Alexis – that was a bad sign. Second, even if Clint was dead, she had to push her feelings aside and focus on rescuing her daughter. She didn't care about her own life; she knew the team would take care of Alexis. Natasha just couldn't bear to think that her baby girl was forcefully walking her footsteps. That was something that Natasha would not allow.

"It's sad that the young girl will be an orphan by the end of the day," Elena sighed brushing her platinum blonde hair back.

"You won't win," Natasha said. "I won't let you, they won't let you. You can kill me, but you won't win."

"We'll see about that," Elena said with a vicious smile. "Make sure she suffers. I'll come back in a few hours to give her the final blow."

After she left, Natasha bit back a whimper as a jolt of electricity ran through her body.

* * *

Clint rubbed the spot above his heart and grimaced. Damn, even with the bulletproof vest the shot had hurt. A lot! It was bruising and all.

"She's a smart girl," Fury said.

The arched looked up at his boss. It was unusual to see Fury in the jet with the team. But he was there and Hill had taken the "wheel" of the jet.

"I fear that she's too much like her parents," he went on and Clint gave a humorless laugh.

"I might rethink on that training you purposed for her," Clint shook his head.

It had all happened very fast. Natasha was taken last night, and somehow, in the back of his mind, Clint just knew they were coming for Alexis. The young girl realized everything that was happening around her – Clint would have a seriously talk (again) with her about eavesdropping – and took matters into her own hands. She knew enough. Her Uncle could track the tiny electronic chip that he had developed for all of the Avengers (and kids). But she didn't have it in her, so she caught it and swallowed it leaving a post-it note on her father's bow saying that she had swallow the small chip her Uncle had given them.

"Alexis knows her Mother was taken and now thinks you're dead?" Tony questioned and Clint nodded. "Talk about traumatic experience," the genius mumbled.

"Did you send your family to the safe house?" Fury asked him.

"Yep. Pretty sure Pepper is going to hurl something at my head later for the short notice but better safe than sorry," Tony replied.

"Thanks for making sure Cassie was with them, Tony," Steve said.

"I second that," Maria nodded. "She was scared enough as it is. Being with Pepper is much better than two SHIELD agents."

"We are all a family, let's stop all of this," Tony dismissed them. "Right now we need to find the itsy bitsy spy and her kid," he said clapping a hand over Clint's back.

"We are hovering over the hideout," Phil announced looking at the tracking signal.

Clint unlocked his seatbelt and got his quiver on his back, picking up his bow. "My daughter better be unscathed," he growled under his breath.

* * *

"You are a mean lady," Alexis said in a calm voice, backing into the corner of the small room.

"Those are not manners of a good girl, Alexandra," Elena gasped. "You will learn, soon, the rules."

"Who's going to make me? You?" Alexis quirked an eyebrow.

Elena gave her an evil laugh. "You wish, you stupid brat," she spat.

"The Avengers will come for me and you will wish you had never touched my family," Alexis growled quietly.

"You have so much to learn," Elena shook her head. "I can't wait to hear her agonized cries for her Mommy and Daddy…that she no longer has…" her tone was harsh and she stalked out of the room. "Watch her carefully!"

"She's a menace," one of Alexis' guards said. "She bit me and kicked Julian in the groin. With a brute force!"

"Oh, stop whining you losers, she's a child, not the Loch Ness monster," Elena huffed walking away.

The two guards eyed Alexis warily.

"What? Do you want to be kicked again, you coward?" She suddenly yelled making one of them back against the wall.

"I'll be guarding outside," he stammered to his companion.

"Coward," Alexis mumbled sitting down on the floor and bring her knees to her chest, taking a deep breath. It was so hard to be strong. She just wanted to burst into tears and cry for her Mom or Dad, but she learned from her parents that you should never let the enemy see that you are vulnerable.

* * *

Natasha's head hung back. It was taking every ounce of strength in her body to be awake. But she needed to be strong. For Alexis!

And why in the world was her team taking so long to arrive? She would kick Stark's ass if they stopped for hair products on the way.

Suddenly, far away, she heard a loud roar and smiled. When did the bad guys learned not to piss the Hulk off?

* * *

Clint shot an arrow that embedded herself in the head of the guard standing outside the room he knew his daughter was been kept. He kicked the door opened and aimed an arrow at the second guard.

"Be a man and release the child," he said in a low threating voice.

Alexis gasped softly and smiled, even under the tight grip the mean guy had on her shoulder. Her Daddy was alive and oh-so-ready to kick ass.

"Or what? You are going to risk your daughter's life if you make that shot, you know," the man snickered and it only made Clint angrier.

Alexis' eyes turned to slits. She pursed her lips and did what she was taught in self-defense class she had that semester. She kicked the man's chin and elbowed him in the crotch. The man yelped in pain and she was already running to her father when an arrow flew past her head. She didn't look back as her arms wrapped themselves around her Dad's legs.

"You're alive," her voice was muffled.

"Yes, little bird, I'm sorry I worried you," Clint whispered hugging his daughter with one arm. "Are you ok? Did they hurt you?"

"Daddy, I was kidnapped, I thought you were dead and I know nothing about Mommy," she sniffed. "I'm not ok; but I'm not hurt," she mumbled.

"I know, sweetie, I'm so sorry," Clint said gently.

"Good, you found her," Steve's voice startled them. "We still need to find Natasha."

"I know," Clint nodded kissing his daughter's head. "Take Alexis, make sure she's safe. I'm going to find Natasha."

"Daddy," Alexis whimpered.

"I'll be fine, but I need to get Mommy," he assured her. "Protect her, Cap?"

Steve saluted him and picked Alexis' up. Clint gave a nod and a smile at Alexis before raising his bow again and walking down the hallway. He just hoped he wasn't too late.

* * *

Natasha watched the knife in Elena's hands, ready to cut open her throat. The woman was enjoying every bit of torture. "Say bye bye, little spider," she cooed.

The knife was about to slash Natasha's throat when an arrow pierced the woman's chest, right through her heart. Natasha breathed a sigh of relief as Elena fell to the side and the knife too. She looked forwards and smiled at Clint who returned the action.

"Bye bye," Natasha said sarcastically to the woman's dead body. "You're late," she muttered to her husband.

Clint snorted and shook his head, freeing his wife from the chains. "Sorry, Tasha, but I think our date night is more than over," he said dramatically, helping her up. "Are you alright?"

"I'll survive," she breathed. "Alexis?"

"Safe and sound," Clint assured her.

"I got so scared when Elena told me that they had taken her and killed you," Natasha confessed.

"Well, they did took her and when they shot me, it hit the bulletproof vest but I fell back and lost conscious for moments," he grimaced. "But she's fine, she's with Cap."

"We are going to need a really good therapist for her," Natasha mumbled.

"She'll be ok, she was really brave today," he smiled proudly. "Even Fury was impressed! Besides, she was able to bring one of her kidnappers to his knees. I told you the self defense classes were a safe bet for her!"

Natasha chuckled. "Let's get out of here!"

* * *

"Mommy," Alexis squealed jumping from Steve's lap and running towards her Mother, whom picked her up and hugged her close. "I'm so glad you're safe!"

"Same goes for me, sweetheart," Natasha breathed. "Are you hurt? She's not hurt, is she?"

"I checked her," a tired Bruce smiled – obviously freshly de-hulked. "Just one or two bruises on her legs, nothing else!"

"Hill, let's get moving," Fury ordered.

Maria gave a sharp nod and started the jet.

"I was so worried, Mommy," Alexis confessed as Clint helped Natasha sit.

"I know, I was too! But Daddy said you were really brave," Natasha smiled sweetly.

"I didn't think twice about half of the things," Alexis smirked.

"Her parents' daughter," Phil snorted from his place near Fury.

"Which reminds me, young lady, we need to talk about eavesdropping," Clint said sternly. "What did we already told you about that?"

"It's wrong and sometimes we don't understand things fully," Alexis mumbled.

"What did she do?" Natasha asked.

"She swallowed the little tracking device that it was supposed to be implemented on her," Tony replied with a smirk.

"What?" Natasha gasped before looking down at her daughter. "Why would you do that, Alexandra? You could have choked!"

"I heard Uncle Tony say that it was really precise and that they would find me anywhere in the world. Since I had heard them discussing that the bad guys would probably be looking for me I…swallow it. It worked, right?" Alexis explained, looking sheepishly at the end.

"Next time, no eavesdropping," Natasha warned.

"Promise," Alexis nodded and hugged her Mother once more.

Of course, no one saw her crossing her fingers.


	7. Sometimes, You Have to Make a Choice

**7 – (-) Sometimes You Have to Make a Choice**

They had fought over hundreds of fights. Fired thousands of bullets and arrows. Spilled a lot of blood. They have been field agents for a good two decades now, but the Black Widow and the Hawkeye, were about to retire.

Unfortunately for them, their leger was dripping and there was nothing that they could do now to wipe it clean. But they found out that the burden of their ledgers would be so much easier to carry if their time was dedicated to give their children the best childhood possible. Take them to school, help with their homework, be there when they fall, hold them when they cry and then gently wipe out the tears.

"Is it really what you want?" Fury asked.

"It is, sir," Clint said. "We can't risk it. We lost a child, another was kidnapped, we need to do this."

"We will still be part of the Avengers, and if another lunatic tries to take over the world, we'll be here to fight alongside our friends, that's not the question," Natasha went on. "We just can't keep being field agents."

"I can take over the California training facility and I can give support to missions through the base," Clint offered.

"You, Agent Romanoff?" Fury inquired.

Natasha gave the Director a half-smile. "With my wide range of skills, I'm pretty sure I'll find something appealing."

"No going back to Natalie Rushman, then?"

"No, Pepper offered, but I find that life a little tedious for me," Natasha sighed.

"Well, SHIELD will suffer a great loss," Fury sighed.

"Don't be so dramatic, Director," Clint smirked. "I'll be sure to train some recruits to your liking," he vowed.

"You are most likely to scare everyone off," Fury rolled his eyes.

"The girls usually stay, even after they cry," Clint pointed out and Natasha slapped his arm. "What? It's true!"

"You can visit, Director, if you want," Natasha said getting up.

"Yes, we'll see about that later," Fury nodded.

"We should go, we don't want to lose our flight," Clint half-smiled.

"Have a safe flight you two and…it was a pleasure to work with you both…_even_ if you almost wrecked the entire ship several times," Fury said.

The couple chuckled. "We'll see you around, Director!"


	8. Puppy? Puppy!

**8 – (Ten years old) Puppy? Puppy!**

"Alexis," Natasha hissed chasing her daughter through the busy street. They were looking at some store windows when Alexis suddenly released herself from her Mother's grip with a gasp and broke on a sprint. Natasha had been taken by surprise, before following her very quick and sneaky daughter. They were going to have a talk – again – about not running away. In any place! "Alexis, get back here!"

Alexis turned to the alley and stopped. Natasha almost ran into her.

"Alexis, what in the world are you thinking? You can break on a run like that!" Natasha scolded with a stern glare.

"Mom, look," Alexis whispered pointing to the spot, near the garbage can.

"Look where, Alexis? I swear to God…what is that?" Natasha fumed before looking at the spot and blinking.

"Isn't it obvious? He was abandoned," Alexis shook her head, blonde curls dancing with her movements. "I saw a lady walk in here with the puppy and then left, without him. She abandoned him, Mom, how could she be that cruel?" Alexis looked up at her Mom with shining green eyes. "He's so little," she whispered and walked towards the card box that had a two to three month old puppy inside, whining.

"People are cruel, Alexis," Natasha started softly, following her daughter. "Well, some are more than others. He's really little."

"He's probably looking for his Mother," Alexis said rubbing the little head with the point of her finger. "Mom, what are we going to do? We can't leave him here, we're not cruel," Alexis stated.

Natasha chuckled. "Let's get him to a vet, sweetheart, and we go from there!"

* * *

"Not many people do what you did, Mrs. Barton," the vet smiled politely.

Natasha shrugged. "Unfortunately, they don't. How's the pup?"

"She's very young, needs attention and to be spoiled, like any other child," the vet chuckled. "But physically she's fine."

"Thank God," Natasha nodded.

"Do you want to leave her here to be adopted?" the vet asked.

Natasha looked from the elderly veterinarian, Dr. White, and to her daughter inside the office, feeding the puppy through a small baby bottle. She sighed and rubbed her temples. Dr. White chuckled.

"Do I look like the kind of Mother that breaks her child's heart like that?"

"You do not," Dr. White replied. "You're taking her, then?"

"Alexis?" Natasha called softly. The little girl looked up with curious green eyes. "That's your Christmas gift!"

Alexis' face broke into a grin and she bounced on her seat as she cuddled the puppy to her chest and finished giving her the bottle.

"She needs a name, by the way," Natasha added, before turning to the vet. "I need a list of things for the youngest member of my family."

"Of course, then, my assistant will help you. We have everything you need here: food, toys, a bed…you are a good person, Mrs. Barton. Until the next appointment," Dr. White smiled and shook Natasha's hand.

Politely she smiled and when the vet turned his back she sighed. Honestly, she killed men in cold blood, she was not a good person. He should thank Alexis for that.

"Mrs. Barton?" The assistant called. "If you follow me, I can get you everything you need for the little puppy," she said.

"Don't leave the office, Alexis," Natasha warned.

"Wouldn't dream of it, Mother," Alexis replied formally with a roll of her eyes. "Don't worry, I'll just stay here with Sasha," she grinned.

"Sasha?" Natasha questioned raising her eyebrows.

"Don't you like it?" Alexis asked with a frown. "I found it cute. It's a Russian name, Mama," she added.

"I love it, sweetheart," Natasha smiled before following Dr. White's assistant out of the office.

* * *

As soon as they arrived home, Alexis rushed inside the house looking for her Dad. "Dad? Daddy? Papa?" she called through the foyer and into the living room.

"Kitchen, goldilocks," Clint laughed. He was facing the stove, getting dinner ready, and when he turned around to meet his eldest daughter he tilted his head. "I'm pretty sure we didn't have that when you left the house," he pointed at the ball of fur in Alexis' hands. "Where did it come from?"

"It's not an it, Clint, it's a puppy," Natasha clarified walking into the kitchen, dropping several bag on the kitchen island. "She – both of them apparently – get offended with the 'it' word," she rolled her eyes before gazing at the high chair. "How's my little prince?" she cooed at the seven month old who instead of eating his food, was entertained getting the floor, walls and himself dirty.

"Where did you get it…_her_," he corrected himself and a flick of irritation crossed his daughter's green orbs.

"A mean lady abandoned Sasha near a trash can. Mom and I took her to the vet and then Mom let me keep her," Alexis explained.

Clint rubbed Sasha's ears amused. "Sasha, huh? And Mom let you keep her?"

"Mom hates to break her kids' heart," Natasha shrugged, getting Henri from the high chair. "Where's Lara?"

"Living room watching the atrocity that it's My Little Pony," Clint said.

"Oh, the atrocity that I caught you seeing more than one time?" Natasha threw back.

"I was watching because of her," Clint said in a 'duh' voice.

"You were watching My Little Pony and eating popcorn last night before Mom got home," Alexis frowned.

Natasha had to stifle her laughter as Clint's head snapped to his eldest daughter who just shrugged innocently. Clint playfully glared before taking the puppy from her hands. "Go take a shower before dinner is ready. Sasha will stay with me," he said.

Alexis tried to protest but it was useless, she turned around before being tackled down by a four year old with wild red curls and big blue eyes. "Momma, sis!"

"Get her off me," Alexis moaned.

"Now, now, Alexis, Lara is just happy you are home, she's been asking for you all day," Clint said as he looked for a place to stuff the young animal. He couldn't let her run wild, the thing was tiny, and if she bumped her head against a wall she would break her neck.

"Merida, get up," Alexis huffed.

"Lara," the younger girl scrunched her nose.

"I know, doesn't mean that I'll call you that," Alexis rolled her eyes.

"Tony is forbidden of visiting," Clint quipped as he pursed his lips in thought, before tucking the puppy in his apron pocket.

"I second that," Natasha muttered. "Girls, let's go get ready for dinner upstairs. Now, move it!"

Lara crawled back to her feet and Alexis got up. "C'mon, I can take a bath with you, so you won't drown," she said taking her younger sister's hand and climbing the stairs.

"Don't cook it by mistake," Natasha snorted looking at the puppy in her husband's apron.

Clint rolled his eyes before shooing her from the kitchen so he could finish getting dinner ready.

* * *

They both fell on the couch exhausted. Kids were fed, kids were entertained, kids were – finally – asleep.

"In what earth did we think that raising kids was easier than going on missions?" Natasha wondered out loud, her fingers intertwined with Clint's. "Tell me why this was good idea again?" She asked laughing.

"One, our ledger stopped dripping," Clint pointed out. "Two, we have a stable home – for once. Three – we've travelled the world three times, I don't think anything's left to see. Four…we always wondered what it would be like to be normal."

"Our family is anything but normal. If there's a thunderstorm during the day, our eldest daughter gets all hyper 'cause Uncle Thor is visiting and he always brings something made of gold for her. I'm still waiting for the time where he brings her a real tiara, made of real gold, and real diamonds," Natasha started and Clint's body shook with laughter. Yes, Alexis had Thor eating from the palm of her hand and the big guy loved to spoil his borrowed niece with the best of Asgard. "Then, for our children, playground is not swings; it's the vents system in the helicarrier. Swings are boring and last…my husband watches My Little Pony," Natasha deadpanned.

"I do not," Clint said offended.

"Sat back, your secret's safe with me. Oh, what would the recruits say if they knew their trainer liked high pitched unicorns," Natasha said dramatically.

"Ponies!"

"Whatever!"

They laughed and then got quiet. Natasha sighed and cuddled into Clint's side.

"Would you change it?" Clint asked.

"Change what?"

"Our life? Would you change any of it? I mean…don't punch me or anything…but in the beginning, you didn't want to exactly keep Alexis. If you could go back…would you have gone the same path or would you, you know, go the other way?"

Natasha stiffed when Clint mentioned her initial thoughts about abortion. Scratch that, about killing her baby girl.

"Alexis is the most important change that had ever happened to me, I would never change it, never," she replied. "I would do the same thing, of course. Sure, our life is much more hectic and noisy than it was before, but I remember, when I was very young, wanting this life."

"I'm very happy where I am right now," Clint smiled.

"Me too," Natasha said. "Can we head to bed?" She yawned. "I'm exhausted! Who knew having a regular job would be this though?"

Clint grinned and shook his head getting up and pulling Natasha up with him.

Their life was normal – weird for a couple of master assassins, huh? Natasha was a ballet dance teacher and Clint still worked with SHIELD but he now trained recruits and directed missions from the facility. They didn't stop being Avengers – of course – they just exchanged guns and ammo for bottles and a family car.

* * *

**It's over. But I've got two more Clintasha stories ready. :) Thanks for sticking with me through this story. Love you guys. xoxo**


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